U.S., foreign officials to discuss airport security

Reuters, Thu Dec 31, 2009 8:25pm EST

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano will dispatch senior agency officials to meet with airport executives around the world to review security and technology used to screen passengers on U.S.-bound flights, the department said.

The decision was announced late on Thursday, six days after a botched attempt by a Nigerian man to blow up a plane en route to Detroit from Amsterdam.

Deputy Secretary Jane Holl Lute and Assistant Secretary for Policy David Heyman will spearhead a broad international outreach effort at major international airports in Africa, Asia, Europe, the Middle East and South America, the department said in a statement.

"We are looking not only at our own processes, but also beyond our borders to ensure effective aviation security measures are in place for U.S-bound flights that originate at international airports," Napolitano said in the statement.

"I will follow up on these efforts with ministerial-level meetings within the next few weeks," she said.

The delegation will first travel to Europe, departing on Monday, the statement said.

(Writing by Todd Eastham; editing by Mohammad Zargham)